Our Ministries
IOCCHURCH is proud to serve our community and our community stretches around the globe. We have removed the DOGMA out of religion and replaced it with vast amounts of LOVE. As humans we all share the common factor of basic physiological needs; food, water, shelter and of course the desire to be loved and to love. Our church ministries are outlined below.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Our mission is simply to care for each other and the planet we call home along with it's rich resources.
From Noah's flood the the famine in Egypt and further yet the Bible is filled with warnings to be prepared. In a world that is filled with political turmoil, threats of nuclear war and dramatic climate change that brings about natural disasters these Bible stories give credence to our need to be on guard and prepared!!
Saint Michael's Academy believes that the parent has the best interests of their children at heart. Saint Michael's Academy believes that the parent is the first and only teacher that a child needs. In keeping with this philosophy, SMA wishes to support you, the parent, in your efforts to lead and guide your children in the direction and at the pace that you feel is best suited to the needs of your family. SMA asks only for what Alabama and Tennessee State Laws requires while offering support along with quality resources to aid your family in your homeschooling efforts. We are located in Middle Alabama (Birmingham area) and Tennessee offering freedom and support to anyone homeschooling in the states of Alabama and Tennessee. Saint Michael's Academy is an educational outreach of the International Old Catholic Church located in Odenville,Alabama with World Headquarters in Eidson, TN. Our primary ministry is to assist parents in taking their children back into the fold and provide them with the freedom, resources, and support to home educate in a safe and loving environment. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE Provide a legal covering for those who choose to homeschool in the states of Alabama and Tennessee regardless of race, economic standing, teaching methods, sexuality or religious beliefs. Offer support to those who have chosen to homeschool. Provide freedom to aid families in their homeschooling journey. Aid parents in the realization of goal achievement be it college or other personal goals. Enable parents to take responsibility for their children’s academic, emotional, and moral growth. Provide quality social and educational activities, field trips, and information to those who have chosen to homeschool.
"I'll give you countless amounts of outright acceptance, if you want it. I will give you encouragement to choose the path that you want, if you need it. You can speak of anger and doubts, your fears and freak outs, and I'll hold it. You can share your so-called shame filled accounts of times in your life, and I won't judge it; and there are no strings attached to it... You owe me nothing for giving the love that I give. You owe me nothing for caring the way that I have. I give you thanks for receiving it, it's my privilege, and you owe me nothing in return. You can ask for space for yourself, and only yourself, and I'll grant it. You can ask for freedom as well, or time to travel, and you'll have it. You can ask to live by yourself or love someone else and I'll support it. You can ask for anything you want, anything at all, and I'll understand it; and there are no strings attached to it. I bet you're wondering when the next payback shoe will eventually drop. I bet you're wondering when my conditional police will force you to cough up. I bet you wonder how far you have now danced you way back into debt. This is the only kind of love, as I understand it, that there really is. You can express your deepest of truths even if it means I'll lose you, and I'll hear it. You can fall into the abyss on your way to your bliss, I'll empathize with. You can say that you have to skip town to chase your passion, and I'll hear it. You can even hit rock bottom, have a mid-life crisis, and I'll hold it; and there are no strings attached to it. You owe me nothing for giving the love that I give. You owe me nothing for caring the way that I have. I give you thanks for receiving it, it's my privilege, and you owe me nothing in return" —Alanis Morissette This is the only kind of love, as I understand it, that there really is. CORE TENETS One should strive to act with compassion and empathy towards all creatures in accordance with reason. The struggle for justice is an ongoing and necessary pursuit that should prevail over laws and institutions. One’s body is inviolable, subject to one’s own will alone. The freedoms of others should be respected, including the freedom to offend. To willfully and unjustly encroach upon the freedoms of another is to forego your own. Beliefs should conform to our best scientific understanding of the world. We should take care never to distort scientific facts to fit our beliefs. People are fallible. If we make a mistake, we should do our best to rectify it and resolve any harm that may have been caused. Every tenet is a guiding principle designed to inspire nobility in action and thought. The spirit of compassion, wisdom, and justice should always prevail over the written or spoken word.
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Today is your chance to make a difference in someone else's life. Sign up today to volunteer to tutor a child, sit with the elderly, cook a meal for a sick family, build a ramp for the disabled or clean up our Earth.
Pastoral Support
Our church is proud of the fact that we NO paid ministers. In fact, there are NO paid church employees at all. From top to bottom out entire ministry is made up of volunteers.
Though we are a very open-minded organization, (Dr Graham likes to say that ‘the mind is like a parachute, it works best when it is open’, our background and principles are deep rooted in the Bible. Dr Graham’s PhD is in theology and his ministerial training was based in Christianity.
The Bible story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is most often wrongly applied to homosexuality when in fact the scriptures are very clear as to the ‘sins’ of the cities.
Ezekiel 16:49-50
49 “‘Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. 50 They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.
We humbly seek your support as we endeavor to change the world by being part of that change, leading by example. We do not attempt to play God or to judge others in any way or fashion. As the Apostle Paul wrote: ‘Love conquers all’ and it is with love we serve. Every aspect of our ministry is based on that one strong principle of love.
After years of aiding thousands in our state and surrounding areas whom were otherwise rejected or shunned by more traditional churches we are fast approaching our TENTH anniversary. Last year, 2016, a small piece of property was donated to us that we are seeking to establish our brick and mortar church on. This piece of property will be utilized for use by community members for funerals, weddings and other such activities. We will also use the facility for our streaming of services, training and production of training materials for the Church of Preparedness. The Church of Preparedness is based in large part on the story of Joseph and the famine in Egypt. Though the citizens of Egypt were fed it was at great costs to them: Loss of livestock, land and even their personal freedoms; effectively becoming slaves to Pharaoh to the point of having to return to Pharaoh 5%. From the story of Noah and the flood to the brides maids and the oil they needed for their lamps the Bible is full of examples demonstrating our individual needs to be PREPARED and NOT to be dependent on government and other outside sources. The Church of Preparedness mission is the training and equipping of individuals and families in our community to prepare for themselves.
Any financial or other assistance that may be given is tax free and starts that first step to free us from government bondage.